Banana Tree is somewhat reminiscent of a canteen.  Perhaps it is the slightly distant staff, the minimal decor or the closely packed grey tables.  Nonetheless, walking into this small chain restaurant, one feels immediately as if one is at the centre of something.  The atmosphere is buzzy and vibrant and the air is filled with the sound of chatter and laughter: there are people on first dates, groups of girls giggling, trendy looking men in pork pie hats, discussing beards.

It’s a Thursday and we are seated immediately under a bizarre phallic looking light bulb dangling over our table.  It takes some time before anyone comes to take our drink orders: a lychee mojito, light on the rum, and a glass of underwhelming pinot grigio.

The menu, however, is promising.  As a coeliac, it is good to see that about half of the menu is gluten-free.  After much consideration of all the options, a real luxury, I settle on the sticky Thai chicken wings with chili and basil, to share between us, and the “Legendary” beef rendang with the palm leaf sticky rice.

The starter arrives fairly promptly.  I’m glad we decided to split the starter because there are loads of wings, piled high and looking spectacular in their glazed glory.  They do not disappoint: they’re sweet and tangy and the chili packs a punch but you can still taste the basil.  Chicken wings are always messy but I found myself swallowing these down with such wild abandon that I ended up covered, face and fingers, in sticky sauce.  Thankfully, we had been given wet wipes.

My curry came in an individually sized frying pan with lots of coriander and crispy coconut on top, adding some much needed lift to an otherwise dull looking dish.  The taste, however, was fantastic.  The meat fell apart, a clear sign that it had been slow cooked, and it was beautifully tender to eat.  Although it was rich and, after a while, quite heavy, the meat was so well spiced, savoury and satisfying, that I just kept on eating.

The sticky rice was good too but, because my curry was quite dry, I wish I’d had one of the fried or steamed rice sides.  The sticky rice went far better with the stir-fried dish ordered by my partner.  The rice came in eight little parcels, which were cute but really annoying after a while: you had to unwrap the pandan leaf from around each parcel every time you wanted one, so we ended up with a ridiculous pile of curly leaves on the table.  And we had to order more because, though we were told one portion would be enough, it wasn’t.

My partner’s meal was lovely too, he said, although I couldn’t taste it because he had thoughtlessly not ordered something gluten-free.  However, he reported that the sautéed beef with Karl Patta (whatever that is) and cashew nuts was fresh and zingy, with lots of different textures and plenty of heat; he also said it went really well with the sticky rice.

Overall, I think Banana Tree is a great place to go for a no-frills meal: there’s lots of choice if you’re eating gluten-free and the food is definitely exciting but don’t expect to be blown away.  You’re unlikely to have a lingering romantic meal there, but if you’re into spice and something a little exotic, this is a great place to grab a quick dinner.